Scheme of connecting 4 light bulbs to the switch. How to connect a chandelier to a double switch

Replacement lighting equipment in residential premises can be caused both by the malfunction of old appliances and by the desire to update the interior. In spacious rooms, appliances are installed with a large number lamps, which requires their distribution into groups. To do this, connect the chandelier to two-gang switch.

Tools for the job

Before installation, select necessary tools. These include:

Wires in the chandelier

The device purchased in the store is supplied with instructions. The rules require that it be in Russian. However, if there is no memo or there is no domestic translation, you should know the following rules:

If there is no marking, you can ring the circuit using the device. In any case, an additional check of the quality and correctness of the assembly will not hurt.

general description

When the luminaire is equipped with several lamps, and the wiring allows you to use a two-gang switch to a chandelier, there are many options for distributing the luminous flux. You can choose any of the following:

Installation activities

If the room already has an electrical network that suits the owner and is suitable for the lighting fixture, then this will reduce the time and material costs of installation. However, connecting from scratch is also common.

To do this, you need to choose the location of the future location of the chandelier. As a rule, this is the middle of the ceiling, although modern design solutions can offer its installation almost anywhere. Fastening is carried out on special brackets.

Cabling

Choosing a point to place lighting device, you need to determine where it will be installed double switch to connect a chandelier. You will also need a junction box, which is mounted just below the ceiling on the wall. Its form can be any.

Having marked the installation locations, it is necessary to prepare a route for laying the wire. This is a three-core (for networks with grounding, the number of cores will be 4) cable of the appropriate section, which depends on the power and number of lamps. You can calculate it using a special table. The channel is cut from the intended installation site of the lamp to the splitter and further to the box where the switch will be.

If there is no voltage in the room, then a channel is laid from the central shield with the placement of a cable similar to the room one - to the connection box. From it, a common zero and earth (if any) go straight to the chandelier, and the phase wire is fed to the place of the proposed switch. It is also necessary to lay a two-core cable from it, through which the phase will be supplied first to the switch box, and then to the lamp.

After the wire transfer is completed, you need to connect them. The phase supplied from the box is attached to the common contact of the disconnecting device. The ends leading to the chandelier - to the outgoing terminals. Such fittings perform the function of a phase break. For safety reasons, a neutral wire cannot be laid through it.

Desoldering the lamp

Before connecting a double switch to a chandelier, it is necessary to divide all the lamps in the device into the required groups. This splitting is performed depending on the desired lighting conditions. There may be several options, the choice is made arbitrarily. When connecting cartridges, the rule should be taken into account: the phase approaches the central contact, zero - to the side. All neutral wires are combined with the corresponding core coming from the junction box.

After distribution, these ends are closed to each other separately: the first and second groups are connected to a double cable coming from the switch through the connection box. If a grounding conductor is provided, it must be combined with a contact marked PE or a special symbol.

distribution box

Having connected the wires in the lighting fixture and in the switch, you need to assemble the circuit in the junction box. This can be done in several ways:

Having decided on the method of combining the wires, you should connect them together. The order is:

The common zero core from the main shield is connected to a similar chandelier wire.
Phase from the power supply - with the appropriate end going to the switch.
Group cords from the luminaire - with those extending from the switching device.
PE contact - with earth from the lighting device.

The last step is to include the schema in switchboard. It is not difficult to do this, since all ends are connected to certain places: phase to the circuit breaker, zero to the zero terminal, and the PE conductor to the ground bus. After a visual inspection of the correctness assembled circuit it must be checked with a multimeter with the switch on and off. After making sure that the circuit is working, you can apply voltage.

In the case of installing a new chandelier in the old place, all electrical fittings are already installed, there is a bracket and wires. It is necessary to determine their phasing. This can be done like this:

Spread the ends apart and turn on the switch keys. Indicator to determine the presence of voltage. Where it is absent, there will be zero or a common wire. The other two contacts are phase contacts.
To dial using the device, you need to disassemble the switch and the junction box.

When conducting such events, it is worth remembering that working with electric shock is dangerous. Therefore, before installation, turn off the voltage and check its absence with a serviceable device. If there are no skills in the production of electrical work, it is recommended to contact specialists.

After reading the title of the article, surely someone will definitely say - “why about e so-and-so write, with such work any landlord himself will be able to cope. Yes, of course, the installation and connection of a chandelier does not belong to the work of the highest category of complexity, however, these processes also have specific nuances, on which, by the way, the safety of living in an apartment depends.

The chandelier is connected to electricity, and all electrical appliances, if they are incorrect installation become source of danger - electric shock or even fire. In addition, this lighting fixture is often quite massive, and can cause a lot of trouble if it is not securely fixed to the ceiling. Thus, the whole complex of problems related to how to connect a chandelier with your own hands is conditionally divided into two directions - providing correct connection it to the mains and its reliable and most beautiful placement on the ceiling plane.

find out useful information, from our new article.

What to consider when choosing a chandelier

It is clear that the vast majority of apartment owners choose this lighting fixture, relying primarily on its external design, so that it matches the overall interior design of the room. However, at the same time, one should not forget about some other aspects of the choice.

The total luminous power of the chandelier should correspond to the size and type of the room for which it is intended. There are certain illumination standards, which can be summarized as follows:

— For rooms where soft, diffused, subdued light is required (a typical example is a bedroom), one should proceed from 10 ÷ 12 W / m² of area.

— For rooms with an average level of general illumination (kitchen, bathroom, bathroom) or where it is planned to install additional lighting for specific workplaces (study or nursery) the norm will be from 15 to 20 W / m².

- For rooms with bright illumination (living room), this indicator is taken equal to 20 W / m².

In accordance with the calculated power, a lighting fixture with the required number of horns should be selected. Important nuance- in no case should you increase the overall illumination using more powerful lamps than allowed by the manufacturer. Material of plafonds, cartridges, section internal wiring may not be designed for increased loads, and this will lead to damage to the device or even to a fire hazard.

The dimensions of the lighting fixture must be in harmony with overall dimensions premises. A huge chandelier will look ridiculous in a fairly cramped room, or, conversely, too small will simply get lost on the plane of the ceiling of a vast hall. Designers recommend proceeding from the following considerations:

— Optimum diameter chandeliers can be roughly determined by the formula:

D = ( L+ S)×10

D- chandelier diameter in centimeters

L And S- the length and width of the room, respectively, in meters.

So, for example, for a room with dimensions of 5 × 3 m the best option there will be a chandelier with a diameter of 80 cm.

The type of chandelier you choose depends on the height of the room. If the ceilings in the room are low, about 2.5 m, then it is better to give preference ceiling option lighting device, so that from the floor to it was at least 2.0 ÷ 2.2 m. Hanging option will be appropriate in a room with high ceilings, and here the length of the suspension will be determined only by aesthetic considerations.
Be sure to compare the type and material of the ceiling with the weight of the chandelier and the method of hanging it - this will be discussed below.
Chandeliers are most often sold unassembled, so Special attention completeness, conformity of threads on all collapsible parts, integrity decorative elements. Be sure to check for clear and clear instructions for product installation.
Unfortunately, the lighting market is literally oversaturated with cheap and low-quality goods and outright fakes for famous brands. These products may use low-grade plastic cartridges that are not designed for high temperatures. They will issue a counterfeit poor-quality installation of the electrical part, twisting of wires, lack of terminal connections, etc. Often you have to independently carry out wire switching, their desoldering and insulation in accordance with all the rules. In particular, this applies to "fancy" chandeliers with LED additional circuits, power supplies or current transformation, devices remote control and so on . In order not to take on these extra chores, it is better to choose a product with a really high-quality cable and electrical "stuffing", demand assembly and testing of the product in the store.

Prices for chandeliers and ceiling lights

Chandeliers and ceiling lights

We deal with the wires on the chandelier and on the ceiling

In this article, we will not consider particularly complex options with chandeliers stuffed with electronics - their installation in most cases will definitely require the services of an appropriately qualified specialist. But everyone should be able to connect an ordinary chandelier on their own.

First of all, a few theoretical questions from the field of home wiring. As you know, the power supply in our area is organized with a standard voltage of 220 V and a frequency of 50 Hz. Household wiring is carried out on two wires - phase and zero. If a ground loop is provided in the house (in modern housing this becomes a necessity and most often this issue is foreseen in new buildings), then a third wire connected to the ground bus is included in the wiring.

There is a generally accepted color marking of single-phase wires electrical network:

A characteristic nuance - if the neutral wire always has a blue or blue color, and the ground contact is yellow-green, then the color of the phase wire may vary:

Often, several phase wires of one or more colors can be assembled in one cable - this is used, among other things, when connecting lighting fixtures, to switch between different modes of their operation:

Ideally, both the chandelier and the house wiring should use this color coding. However, practice shows that in both cases this rule is not always observed. For example, in houses old building for wiring used aluminum or copper wires in single color insulation. In this case, you will have to deal with them yourself.

Particular attention should be paid to safety measures when working with electrical wiring. It is strictly forbidden to touch bare wires with bare hands, unless the general power supply is turned off. You must wear shoes with rubber soles. To work under the ceiling, you need to provide a reliable foundation - an unstable stool or bedside table can lead to loss of balance, falling and injury. For these purposes the best option there will be a stepladder mounted on a rubber mat.

1. So, the easiest option is a cable with two wires coming out of the hole in the ceiling. It is clear that one of them is phase, and the other is zero. By existing rules zero should go directly to the junction box, and phase should be interrupted at the switch. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to check - very often electricians “did not bother” with these issues.

To check, you must have a special device - a phase indicator. Most often, it is made in the form of a screwdriver with a transparent case, although modern models may have other designs, including even an indication of the phase voltage value.
First of all, it is necessary to completely de-energize the room or the entire apartment on the switchboard. This is necessary in order to thoroughly clean the wires from insulation and oxides to a length of 5 ÷ 8 mm. After stripping, the wires are bred to the sides as much as possible to prevent their short circuit. After that, turn on the machine on the shield.
Then, with the switch in the off position, both wires are checked in sequence. None should show the presence of a phase. If there is a phase on one wire, it means that the wiring in the house was done incorrectly - apparently, “zero” is interrupted on the switch. It is very difficult to change anything in this case - it should just be borne in mind, exercising special care in further work.

The phase is checked in the same way when the switch is in the on position. As a result, a phase wire will be identified, which can be marked in a certain way (with a marker or colored tape).

2. If a switch with two or more keys is installed in the room, then from the ceiling holes should be like the appropriate amount phase wires. The check is carried out in the same way as described above, with the marking of each phase separately, in accordance with the location of the switch keys.

A similar check should be carried out even if color-coded wiring is installed - just to eliminate the errors of the electrician who once installed it.

3. Now - about the cable part of the chandelier itself.

The easiest way is when the chandelier is one- or two-three-horn, without dividing them into groups. All wires from the cartridges are collected in two contact groups- zero and phase. If there is a ground wire, then it is usually attached to the metal body of the lamp.

In the case when it is necessary to divide the horns with cartridges into two or more groups, then all the blue "zero" wires are connected into one bundle, and the phase wires are divided into several, according to the number of keys on the switch.

Very often, this can be seen quite clearly on chandeliers, and such switching will not be difficult.

The simplest case: all the wires are in full view

In both cases, the bundles of twisted wires should be thoroughly soldered and placed in a screw terminal block or separate spring terminals.

It is somewhat more difficult to understand when the device of the chandelier does not make it possible to visually understand its internal wiring. However, here you can figure it out by ringing all the outgoing wires using a multitester. To do this, you can sequentially screw an incandescent lamp into the cartridges (an energy-saving fluorescent lamp will not help in this case), and empirically find out which horn is powered from which wire. After that, it will be easy to distribute the horns into groups.

For "call" hidden wires you need a multitester

There are other methods for determining the internal wiring of a chandelier, based on calculating the resistance of a circuit with lamps of the same rating screwed into all cartridges, but in practice it is still probably easier to just ring each horn.

So, the result of checking the chandelier circuits and stationary wiring in the room should be a clear understanding of the circuit, prepared for switching and marked wires on the ceiling and a group of contacts on the lighting fixture itself.

Video: wiring diagram for a five-arm chandelier to a two-gang switch

Mounting a chandelier on the ceiling of a room

If everything became clear with the electrical part, it is necessary to ensure that the chandelier is securely fastened to the ceiling. The technology of work depends on the design of the chandelier, and on the type ceiling covering.

Hanging a chandelier on a hook

This is an old and proven method of mounting chandeliers, which have a special loop, ring or hook for this purpose.

In old high-rise buildings hanging hooks were installed in the ceiling holes at the construction stage. If it is worth it, then the problem is less, however, it does not hurt to check it for strength. To do this, it is necessary to hang a load with a total mass twice the weight of the chandelier planned for installation. If such a load is easily maintained, then there should not be any special concerns.

But what if the old hook is unreliable or its condition does not inspire confidence that it will withstand the load? No problem, you can install it yourself.

WITH wooden ceiling there should be no problems in principle - a hook-screw is easily screwed in there.

WITH concrete slab overlaps can be various solutions:

— You can hang a hook on a transverse steel rod, which is inserted into the cable channel of the plate. In this case, care must be taken not to damage the wiring passing there with the rod.

- Another option with an old hole in the ceiling is to insert a hook with a “butterfly” lock into it. Having passed into the cable channel, the “wings” of this fastening will straighten and create the necessary support, and all that remains is to fix the entire suspension with a washer and nut.

Hook with a spring retainer - "butterfly"

- If this option is not possible, for example, in the case when there is no “regular” opening for the hook, it will be necessary to drill in concrete floor a hole for a plastic dowel, but still better - for a metal anchor with a ring or hook.

Before drilling, it is useful to evaluate the direction of the wiring from junction box to the exit on the ceiling, so as not to accidentally break the cable with a drill or break its insulation.

If the internal cavity of the plate is caught during drilling, a special metal dowel for hollow structures - with screwing it in, a “skirt” is formed that securely holds the fastener in the ceiling.

After installing any type of hook, it should be tested for load - as described above. After that, it is recommended to insulate the protruding metal part by wrapping it with electrical tape or putting it on heat shrink tube appropriate diameter, followed by heating.

If the hook is reliable, you can hang the chandelier for a regular mount. Be sure to turn off the general power supply of the room in order to connect the contact part. The wires are connected by terminal connectors - twisting is not allowed, as sparks can occur on them with melting of the insulation. The connection is carried out in full accordance with the wiring diagram, about which it was written above.

The place of the contact connection of the wires and the suspension on the hook is usually closed with a decorative glass (cap).

After the installation is completed, turn on the power supply on the panel, then on the switch, in order to immediately make sure that there is no short circuits. It does not hurt to check the absence of a phase on the metal body of the chandelier with an indicator. If everything is fine, then when the switch keys are turned off, the necessary lamps are screwed or inserted into the cartridge and the practical functionality of all chandelier horns is checked in all switching modes.

After verification, you can proceed to final assembly chandeliers - installation of shades, suspension of all removable decorative parts, etc., according to the assembly instructions attached to the product.

Installing a chandelier on a mounting plate

Many manufactured chandeliers, especially those designed for low spaces, are not hung on hooks, but are installed using screw fasteners on a special mounting plate fixed to the ceiling. This greatly improves the reliability of the overall installation, as the load is evenly distributed across multiple attachment points.

Design mounting plate may be different - it all depends on the specific model of the chandelier and its mass. The bar can be straight or curved, with brackets for fixing the body of the lighting fixture, or with protruding studs or screws.

Particularly heavy chandeliers can be supplied with cruciform planks or in the form of a reinforced I-profile.

The bar may have a hole with the edges covered with an insulating sleeve for the passage of wires coming out of the ceiling. You can place the bar in the immediate vicinity of the cable outlet - the body of the installed chandelier will hide both the hole in the ceiling and the wiring.

The mounting plate is fixed to the ceiling plane in various ways, depending on the specific conditions. In fact, this was described above, with the only difference being that instead of dowels with a ring or hook, ordinary ones are used, with a clamping head “under hide».

As well as when using a hook, the reliability of fastening under load must be checked.

The mount must be checked under load - in order to prevent such situations

Quite often, a situation occurs when the excessively close location of the dowels from the old hole in the ceiling does not ensure the reliability of installation - the edge of the concrete may crack or crumble. So optimal choice fasteners and installation sites still remains with the direct executor of the work.

Fastening the chandelier itself to the mounting plate can also have its own characteristics. Perhaps, in this case, help is required - the lamp will have to be held on weight while the cable part is being switched. After the wires are connected, the body of the chandelier is attached to the bar with decorative nuts or screws.

Further work on performance monitoring and final installation is no different from what was described above.

Features of fastening the chandelier to the plasterboard ceiling

By by and large, you should plan the placement of the chandelier even before its installation. In this case, no problems are foreseen - one or more additional metal profiles are provided in advance for attaching the mounting plate or installed a hook, which will then be easy to build up with a chain or rod. IN drywall sheet a hole is immediately marked and drilled in the right place for the exit of wires and a hook.

But what if this question of hanging a chandelier arose later?

In the case when the lighting fixture is of a suspended type, it is impossible to install the hook directly into the GVL - its strength is unlikely to be enough for a point load. You can do it like this:

A hole is drilled in the ceiling with a diameter smaller than the decorative cap of the lamp.

Exactly in the center of this opening, a hole is drilled in the floor slab along the anchor fastening with a long drill installed in a puncher.

An anchor with a long threaded stud is inserted and fixed to the limit in the hole made, so that the stud comes out beyond the drywall plane.

An eye nut is screwed onto the protruding end of the stud, to which the chandelier itself will later be hung. The excess hairpin is carefully cut off with a hacksaw.

Spring "butterfly" with a hairpin

If there is a void or an old hole in the ceiling - everything Also, as when working on a conventional ceiling, only the fasteners do not have a ring, but a long threaded part, so that it comes out.

If the chandelier is a console type, that is, it is installed on a mounting plate, then a lot depends on its mass.

- In case when total weight from the luminaire does not exceed 3 - 5 kg, you can fix the bar directly to GVL sheet. For this, special dowels for drywall are used - “butterflies” or snails.

Dowels "butterfly" and "snail" for fixing parts on drywall

The first are held as a result of the spread plastic construction under a sheet of drywall when screwing in a self-tapping screw. The second principle of action is different - very high and sharp carving with a large plane of contact with the sheet material creates a reliable connection when screwing in. The "snail" is screwed in completely, flush with the GVL surface, in the right place, and a hole remains in its center, into which an ordinary self-tapping screw easily enters.

- If the chandelier is heavier, then to fix the mounting plate, you will have to resort to the method with anchors with studs. - as described above. The protruding threaded parts of two or more studs will become mounts for a slatted or cross-shaped console.

All further actions are no different from mounting a chandelier on a regular ceiling.

Video: fixing a chandelier to a plasterboard ceiling

Prices for different types of anchors

Anchors

Mounting a chandelier on a heavy ceiling

None practical advice By self-assembly chandeliers on a heavy ceiling will not be given - this should be done only by craftsmen and exclusively before hanging the ceiling canvas.

Read detailed information, about what is important to know in our new article.

To install the chandelier, a mounting platform is prepared in advance and suspended from the floor slab, the lower cut of which should fall on the planned height of the stretched canvas. Based on the location of this embedded platform, the craftsmen must cut and properly process the holes themselves, reinforcing their edges, through which the wires and fasteners will pass.

Attempts to cut holes yourself in order to hang the chandelier on an already installed stretch ceiling, using methods of work by type plasterboard ceiling, will not lead to anything good. With a probability close to 100%, they are doomed to failure. A deplorable, but logical result of such amateur performances will be the need for a complete replacement of the canvas.

After the “ceiling” masters finish their work, leaving the necessary holes reinforced with special eyelets for the chandelier and fasteners, the installation of the lamp is carried out with the utmost care so as not to break or puncture the surface in any case.

On a heavy ceiling, it is preferable to use a pendant one so that the lamps are not in close proximity to the canvas. Besides, conventional lamps incandescent, "halogen lamps" or luminescent "housekeepers" are not suitable for these purposes - they will quickly spoil the decorative effect of the ceiling covering. Therefore, in order for the ceiling to retain its attractiveness for as long as possible, only LED models are needed.

Video: an example of mounting a chandelier on a heavy ceiling

Today, a huge number of different multi-track chandeliers are sold in stores. Most of them do not have the ability to connect to a two-gang switch. This can be immediately determined in the store. If a two-wire wire comes out of the chandelier, then without alteration it can only be connected to a single-gang switch. If three-wire, then you are lucky, it can be connected to a double switch without additional upgrades.

Why do we need this double switch? For example, if you plant a five-arm chandelier only on a single switch. Then we will get the fact that either all five bulbs will shine at once or none. It often happens that we do not always need such a bright light and want to dim it a little. This can only be achieved by turning off 2 or 3 lamps in the chandelier. Now, if two light bulbs work from one key of the switch, and the other three from the other key, then you can easily play with the brightness of the lighting in the room.

With one of my friends, we went to choose a chandelier. We chose this option. The photo shows the final result of the installation, but before that, the process of its modernization took place. This is detailed below.

Bought it at the beginning of 2015 for 4000 rubles. To be honest, I was a little surprised by the prices. For what here you need to give 4 thousand rubles. 5 glass shades, 5 metal tubes and 2 meters of wire don't cost that much. There is no complex work, non-standard elements and some exquisite design solution. Maybe I don't understand something? And in stores, people simply didn’t leave a way out, since you can’t find it cheaper anywhere. Something I digress from the topic. So let's move on...

In this chandelier for connection there was a two-wire wire. I observed the same thing with all similar lamps. The sellers just told everyone that if you want to connect it to a two-gang switch, then redo it yourself at home. After that, I decided to write an article on how to convert a chandelier to a double switch. Maybe it will be useful to you.

In order to do this, we simply need to replace the existing two-wire wire with a three-wire one.

At the first stage, we disassemble the five-arm chandelier. We unscrew all the nuts, washers, tubes, etc. Your design may be slightly different. The main thing to remember is what and where it is screwed and in what sequence, since then you will have to assemble it back. It's like a constructor.

In our chandelier, the connections of the power wire to the wires that go to the light bulbs are located in its lower central part. Unscrew the bottom cap by hand and remove the cap.

Here we see neatly laid wires.

We take them out so that we can work with them. Connections are made with ordinary plastic caps. This is done in all Chinese chandeliers.

One cap connects all zero conductors. These are the blue wires. The second cap connects all phase conductors. These are brown wires.

Carefully unscrew the caps counterclockwise and disconnect the power wire from the twists. Then it is worth replacing the caps so that the wires from the cartridges do not disconnect and subsequently confuse you.

Then we pull out the power wire from all the elements of the chandelier. In the photo below, he lies next to her.

Since all the elements of the chandelier have round holes and many bends and turns, it is worth choosing a soft round wire for easy installation. Next, we consider the power of all lamps. The passport states that the maximum power of each lamp should not exceed 60W. In total, we get 5pcs x 60W = 300W. In my case, they were purchased LED bulbs 10 W. As a result, the entire five-arm chandelier will consume 50W. See the savings. Just in case, I bought a wire with a good margin. Suddenly, in the future, the owner of the apartment will replace the burned-out lamps with ordinary 100-watt ones. Better to be safe. As a result, the wire brand PVS 3x0.75 was chosen.

We pass a new wire through all the necessary elements of the chandelier. These are tubes, washers, nuts, etc.

In the place where the wires are disconnected, we cut a new supply wire.

The blue wire is the neutral conductor. We know from the switch wiring diagram that the "zero" is common and comes from the junction box. We connect it with all five blue wires from cartridges. You can simply twist them with the existing protective cap.

The brown strand of the new wire is the phase conductor that comes from one key of the double switch. We connect it using the existing protective cap with two wires from two different lamps. It is better to choose lamps that are located opposite each other. So in the future, the light will fall evenly from all sides.

The yellow-green conductor is intended for grounding. But what to do in our situation? You will have to use it as a phase conductor. There is nothing wrong with this. Do not pull a new wire for us, the whiter there is no more room for this.

We connect the last yellow-green core of the new wire to the remaining three brown wires. To do this, we need to buy a new similar protective cap. This core will go to another key of the double switch.

After everything is connected, carefully lay all the wires in the chandelier body.

On the other side of the chandelier, we pass a new wire along the route of the old one.

It remains to cut a new power wire and connect it at the place where the chandelier is attached. If there is grounding at home, then the yellow-green conductor from the bottom photo is connected to the grounding conductor. If there is no grounding at home, then we simply hide this wiring under the cover, since it may come in handy in the future.

So we figured out the question of how to convert a chandelier to a double switch. I think I explained everything clearly.

We just have to hang the chandelier and connect it. It is attached to the ceiling with a hook, which is clearly visible in the photo below. You can also see the remote control unit through which I connected it. Wait for the story about it in the following articles.

Let's smile:

The electrician, having finished the work, says to the hostess:
- Well, that's it, granny, you have a bottle.
- Milok, maybe better with money?
- No, grandma, I can’t have money - I’ll drink it.

A chandelier with several light bulbs or, in other words, horns is not only a harmonious element of the interior, but also the ability to shape the illumination in the room for different circumstances. Sometimes the most important circumstance is the need to save kilowatts, because a brightly burning chandelier, although it looks festive, will also be noticeable in the monthly payment for the light. There is a compromise between a single lamp under the ceiling and a bright chandelier - a two-gang switch. It allows you to adjust the lighting modes in the room at the request of the owners. It remains only to figure out how to connect the chandelier to a double switch.

Prepare the necessary

Chandelier connection tool

Since everything electrical work pose a risk of electric shock, hanging and connecting a new chandelier to the mains will require you to be careful and focused. Therefore, prepare all the tools and little things in advance so that they are at arm's length. Here's what you'll need:

a set of screwdrivers with different heads;
indicator screwdriver;
multimeter;
pliers with insulated handles;
terminal clamps;
knife and electrical tape;
a stable chair or stepladder.

Focusing on the area

Classically, at the place where the chandelier is attached to the ceiling, there is a hook for it. But most modern chandeliers are attached in a completely different way: on a metal bar with several fixation points. This somewhat complicates the work, because. you may need a drill or a screwdriver, and it will not hurt the help of household who will support the chandelier so that your hands are free.

Great if new chandelier was supplied with a passport that contains a diagram for connecting to the power supply, but more often chandeliers do not have such a passport, which is why it is necessary to learn once and know in the future how to connect the switch to the chandelier.

Connecting a chandelier using terminals

Let's count the cables on the ceiling. Here the arithmetic is simple: if you counted only two wires in the center of the ceiling, then this indicates that the option with a two-gang switch is definitely not yours. No matter how many wires come out of the chandelier tube, without laying an additional cable in the thickness of the walls and ceiling or replacing the wiring with a three-core cable, you will not be able to realize your plans for turning on the lamps in the chandelier one by one. There must be at least three cables. What is their purpose? Two of them are phase conductors, one is a neutral conductor. Only if there are two phases on the ceiling, you can connect the chandelier to two switches and form different degrees of illumination.

Attention! When buying a lighting fixture, pay attention to the number of wires at the exit of the chandelier you like: there should be three or more of them. Otherwise, this chandelier is designed to turn on and work all the lamps at the same time.

We work safely

You will have to work directly with electrical wiring, so at the time of all work it should not be energized. To completely protect yourself from electric shock, you need to not only make sure that the switch is in the “off” position, but generally turn off the machines on the shield.

Attention!!! All work must be carried out only on de-energized equipment.

Before testing the cables, disconnect them, and make sure that they do not touch in the future. Cables have accepted markings in Latin characters:

L - phase wire;
N - neutral;
PE - yellow-green.

In general, cable marking is not always found. What do you do if you don't see any symbols? Go to the shield and translate circuit breaker to the "on" mode. You return to the chandelier and, armed with an indicator screwdriver, alternately touch the bare ends of the wires coming out of the ceiling. The cable to which the lit LED in the screwdriver will correspond and will be phase.

Now you need to de-energize the network in the apartment again and you can get to work.

We turn to connecting the chandelier to a double switch

Scheme for connecting a chandelier to a double switch

We connect the chandelier

So, you already know that connecting a chandelier to a double switch is possible only when there are three wires on the ceiling and on the chandelier. Sometimes you can see a whole bunch of wires coming out of the chandelier. This means that the manufacturer of the chandelier has left you the opportunity to form groups of lamps according to your preference.

As an example of connecting a chandelier to a two-gang switch, consider the case when four cables are pulled out of the ceiling. Most likely, you have already guessed that the fourth cable is nothing more than. In modern electrical practice, it is customary to designate it "PE". It has a yellow-green color and all that is required is to connect it to the chandelier wires of the same color, having previously combined their contact. The function of this wire is to divert dangerous voltage from the chandelier through the ground bus into the soil.

Old-style apartments and chandeliers, unlike modern new buildings and European equipment, do not have grounding. Then there will be no fourth cable and you will not need the above steps. Or, if grounding is nevertheless removed from the ceiling, but not provided for in the chandelier, then this cable must be carefully insulated.

Attention! The fourth cable may also be a phase! The presence of the third phase conductor on the ceiling gives you a unique opportunity to form as many as three groups of chandelier lamps, but then you will need the appropriate switch - with three keys. If you do not need the third phase, feel free to isolate it.

Let's move on to the most important thing. Now you need to put together, providing reliable contact, phase cables and neutral cables of each group of light bulbs on a chandelier. For example, in a five-horned chandelier it will turn out like this:

the first group of lamps (two lamps) - we connect two phases into one and two neutrals into one;
the second group (three lamps) - we connect three phases into one and three neutrals into one;
we connect the neutral cables of both groups to a common zero;
result: two phases and a common zero come out of the chandelier, in total - three prepared contacts.

Observing the marking and purpose, these three wires are connected to the corresponding wires in color and purpose on the ceiling: the first phase to the first phase, the second phase to the second phase, zero is connected to zero.

Don't use twists! Twisting is a very common method, but far from safe. Places of twists, with incomplete touch, often overheat, their insulation from this cracks and loses its protective function. Use express connection terminals, it is fast and reliable.

Chandelier connection diagram

If the wires of the chandelier are the same color

The manufacturer of the chandelier could not leave any markings on the cables and it would be possible to unambiguously determine their belonging only by using a multimeter. How to proceed:

you need to unscrew the lamp from the chandelier and visually determine the phase (spring in the center) and zero (located on the side) contacts.
looking for a neutral wire. To do this, touch the probe of the multimeter to the side contact in the cartridge, and the second in turn touch the stripped cables at the exit from the chandelier. If at the moment of touching a sound signal appears, then you have found the neutral wire. Tag him.
the same actions are performed when searching for phase cables, only the probe touches the middle contact in the cartridge. The device will emit a signal when a phase is found. The wire should be marked as a phase.
if there are a lot of cables on the chandelier, then you can understand which phase and which zero belong to which of the bulbs, you can only probe each circuit with a multimeter. The found phase wires are alternately closed with the central contacts of the bulbs. The sound of the device will indicate the correspondence of the wire to any of the lamps. You also need to do the search for zero. The result will be the number of contours found, which corresponds to the number of horns in the chandelier. You have to independently form them into two groups.
, if it is present, they are also identified with a multimeter by an audible signal, touching the probes of the device with the metal case of the chandelier and the desired wire.

Two-gang switch

A two-key switch is suitable for a common phase and two neutrals, one for each key. The common phase conductor diverges into both keys and, when they are turned on synchronously, feeds both lighting circuits, and switching on in turn will feed only one of the circuits.

As a rule, the installation of a chandelier itself does not cause any special difficulties for anyone - it is good that there are more than enough various devices for mounting it. But the question of how to connect it to a dual switch baffles many. We will tell you how to do it yourself, without the help of a professional electrician.

First we need to decide how many and which lamps we want to turn on with one or the second key. There are few options here. One key turns on one lamp, and the second - two at once. But what (left or right) key that will turn on is very important (or convenient) for some.

Ceiling

As a rule, 3 (or a three-wire wire) hang from the ceiling. In houses of new construction, there may be 4 wires. One is the "earth", according to the European standard. It is dyed in yellow, and along it is a green stripe. The rest are checked by the indicator. You need to find a wire on which there is no voltage. This is zero. The rest is a phase. This is done with the keys in the "on" position.

Chandelier

Wires also come out of the chandelier. If there is a ground wire on the ceiling, then the yellow-green ones can be safely connected. IN modern models chandeliers, all connections are made “inside” the chandelier, only the wires from each light bulb go out to the “phase”, and one wire is their common zero. Moreover, inside the chandelier, the connection of the phase wires of some lamps has already been made. For models with 3 lamps, two are already connected and will turn on at the same time. In other words, the manufacturer decided for us how the chandelier should be turned on.

So, 3 wires come out of the chandelier ("earth" does not count). We connect the zero of the "chandelier" with the zero of the "ceiling". Everything is clear here. Now the phases. Each of the phase wires of the "ceiling" goes to the switch. We installed with two keys. Accordingly, we connect the wires of the phases of the chandelier and the switch.

Then we check. If there is a desire to make sure that the right key turns on those lamps (or a lamp) that the left one now turns on, then the wires need to be swapped - nothing complicated. And when you turn on both keys at the same time, all the lamps will light up at once.

Warning:

In any case, regardless of the color of the wires, they should be checked for voltage. Especially yellow-green. During installation, electricians could make a mistake, so control is required. The connection of wires is done with the circuit breaker turned off.

Before connecting the wires from the chandelier, it is imperative that you read the manufacturer's instructions and see. It is different, as is the number of wires coming out of the chandelier.